Hydraulic system and means for propelling vessels



G. R. BROWN HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS Dec. 11, 1928.

Filed March 22. 1926 Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED srarss 1,694,840 PATENTOFFICE."

enonen R. BaowN, or: NEWlI-IAVEN, connncrrcur.

HYDRAULIC. SYSTEM MEANS FOR PROPEL LING VESSELS.

' Application filed March 2a, 1926 Seria1 No. 96,525.

F inlet pipes at the sides of the boat and in both instances the water passes through a pump.

The water underpressure is ejected from pipes extending toward the stern of the boat and these outlet pipes are so arranged that the streams of water ejected therefrom are parallel to each other, consequently full ad'- vantage of the force generated by the pump is not obtained.

According to the present invention, the old system or systems above referred'to are materially improved, and the essential feature of this invention amongst other features, is the arrangement of the outlet pipes in such a manner thatthe streams ejected therefrom will converge so as to meet at a point'adjacent to the stern of the vessel, and by such means, the full advantage of the force generated is utilized. Another important feature of this invention consists in the provision of means for controlling the ejected streams whereby travel of the vessel may be reversed, stopped or otherwise controlled.

The above and other novel features embodied in this invention, will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows diagrammatically the complete invention as applied to an ordinary pleasure boat.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an ordinary open pleasure boat having a driving engine 2 of a suitable type and capacity according to the size of the vessel and the required horse-power to be developed. 3 is a force pump of any suitable type and capac ity and the pump is preferably connected directly with the engine, as shown. 4 are the inlet pipes located at each side of the boat and which pipes have strainers 5 and scoops 6 at their outer ends through which the Water is taken. The scoops 6 are particularly useful when the invention is applied to,

I acomparatively high speed boat, when in fact, the scoops usually must beemployed to,v ensure infiow of the water, The inlet pipesv i conduct the water. to the pump3 and the water is ejected'from the pump under. proper pressure to obtain the required velocity to propel the vessel ata given speed, The water under pressure, as stated, is conducted through outlet pipes 7 and ejected, from nozzles 8 and these nozzles are arranged in angular positions, substantially as shown. The'streams of water 9," ejected from the nozzles 18 will be converging'so. as tomeet at a point adjacent to and. behind the stern of the boat, for example, at the point 10, shown:

in. the drawing.

Additional outlet or companion pipes 11 i are provided and these pipes have nozzles through which water is ejected in parallel streams forwardly toward the bow of the boat. The valve 12 of any suitable type, but preferably a two-way valve, is employed and by means of the controlling handle 13, the operator can control the flow of the water, under pressure from the pump through the nozzles of either pair of outlet pipes 7-7 or 11-1,1. Thest-reams of water ejected from the nozzles 8 will propel the boat in a forward direction and the streams from the outlet pipes 11 will effect reversing.

The operator may be stationed close to the controlling valve 12 so that he can operate the controlling handle thereof conveniently, but in such cases where the steering wheel l-i is located at the bow of the boat, suitable transmission meansincluding cables 15 are provided whereby the controlling handle 13 may be operated from a remote point.

In addition to furnishing the means for propelling the boat it is proposed to utilize the pump for draining the boat. In this case drain pipes 16 are. provided at each side of the boat and are connected with the inlet pipes 41:. A common valve 17 is employed to open and close said drain pipes, the arrange- -ment being such that the drain pipes may be put in operation while the boat is travelling even at full speed. v

In the operation of the improved system and means it will be noted that the converging of the propelling streams produces an effect which is of great advantage in the propulsion of a boat, especially when the boat is designed to travel at high speed. It is known, that a vessel travelling through the Water at a high speed, displaces water at the stern which creates a vacuum causing a drag having the tendency to retard the travel of the vessel. With the improved system, the water supply for the pump is taken in at the forward end of the boat and discharged at the stern. By this arrangement the advantage of suction at the bow of the boat is obtained and besides the space created at the stern is filled by the ejected streams. so consequently the drag is greatly lessened. if not entirely eliminated. Furthermore the two streams meeting at the converging point adjacent to the stern of the boat create a vortex which operates as a moving abutment whereby the full force of the discharged water is utilized to propel the boat.

stern of the vessel and thereby increased efiiciency is given to the propellers because of the filling in of the space caused by the displacement of the water adj aoent to the propellers and the stern of the boat.

It is to be understood, the propelling streams must he of equal force to cause the vessel to travel in a straight course. And it is obvious that means such as a suitable valve for each outlet pipe may be employed to regulate the streams so as to steer the vessel thereby.

I claim:

In a system of hydraulic propulsion of vessels, means comprising intake nozzles and ejecting nozzles, said latter nozzles being arranged to eject converging streams meeting at a point behind and adjacent to the stern of the vessel and means comprising additional ejecting nozzles for diverting said streams whereby reversing and stopping of the vessel is effected.

Signed at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut this 16th day of March 1926. V

GEORGE R. BR()\VN. 

